Old Trafford side confident they can land Stamford Bridge star.
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Man United are to step-up efforts to sign Chelsea playmaker with the Old Trafford side to launch a £39m bid they hope will be accepted by the West London outfit.
CaughtOffside understands that the Stamford Bridge side are ready in principal to sell the 25 year old Spanish international to the Premier League side as they do not see Man United as a direct title rival.
Chelsea are some 12 points clear of Man United, who they beat 3-1 over the weekend, and boss Jose Mourinho is said to be keen on cashing-in on Mata for fear that his continued presence at the club could prove disruptive.
The former Valencia man reacted angrily to being subbed against Southampton on New Year’s Day and hasn’t played a minute for the club since. Indeed Mata has started just half of the club’s 22 Premier League fixtures and is now not only behind Eden Hazard and Oscar in Mourinho’s creative midfield pecking order, but in-form Brazilian Willian has also forced himself in front of the Spaniard.
Moyes is keen to bring in a creative midfield presence, a goal threat and a player who can provide some much needed invention. The Scot has been linked with a number of potential targets to fill this void, last summer seemingly keen on both Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas and his then team-mate Thiago Alcantara, who opted to reunite with former boss Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
Man United are ready to smash their club record transfer fee to land Mata, such is the critical nature of the current campaign.
The club’s owners are all too aware of how crucial it is to secure a top four finish this season, now seen as the very least expected of David Moyes in his debut season, and Mata is deemed as a player who’s arrival would not only greatly assist in this push but would also act as a real statement of intent.
In order to make room for such a signing Moyes is ready to listen to offers for Shinji Kagawa whilst wingers Nani and Ashley Young are also said to be playing for their Man United future’s after proving ineffective for most of the season.
Mata finished both his first two seasons as Chelsea’s Player of the Year, scoring 23 goals and providing a massive 55 assists to help the club to Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup triumphs but he is said to be certain his future lies away from the Blues.
Man United are keen to complete a deal to sign Mata within the next 48 hours so as to have the player on board with plenty of time to bed in before their next Premier League fixture at home to Cardiff City next Tuesday.
Mata is believed to have settled well in England and is therefore more likely to be open to a move to another Premier League side, especially one that shows enough faith in his abilities to make a big money offer for his services.
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